Troubleshooting: Heatmap Issues

🗓️ Local SEO Heatmaps: Refresh Cycles and Scheduling

🗓️ Fix Local SEO Heatmap Auto-Refresh Scheduling Issues

🗺️ Local SEO Heatmap Grid Bug & Credit Refund

🗺️ Heatmap Showing Wrong Results for Mental Health Keywords

📍 Fix Missing Local SEO Heatmap Pins

📍 Why pins may be missing Missing pins on a Local SEO Heatmap can result from the map zoom level, an incomplete or outdated scan, delayed ranking data, or a temporary display issue. This can affect multiple clients without any settings being changed. 🔎 Check the heatmap view 1. Open Local from the left sidebar. 2. Select Local SEO Heatmaps. 3. Open the affected client and scan. 4. Zoom out slightly to display the full grid. Pins may not appear when the map is zoomed in too far. 5. Refresh the page and check whether the center point and surrounding pins load. 🗓️ Verify the scan and date Confirm that you are viewing the intended scan date. Older scans may show incomplete center-point or pin data, and the date shown in scan details may not always match the date shown in the scan list during a display issue. < - Compare the scan date in the list with the date in its details. - Check whether the scan has finished processing. - Review the rank shown for each pin instead of relying only on the summary count. 🔄 Run a fresh scan If pins are still missing, create or run a new scan using the same location, keyword, and grid settings. Allow the scan to finish, then reopen Local → Local SEO Heatmaps and refresh the page. A new scan can replace incomplete or stale map data. 👥 Check other client projects If pins are missing across several clients, this is more likely to be a platform-wide display or processing issue than a project configuration problem. Avoid changing locations, keywords, or grid settings until you have recorded the affected scans. 📝 What to include when reporting If the issue continues, record the client or project name, scan date, keyword, search location, grid settings, browser, and whether the issue affects one client or multiple clients. Include screenshots showing the map, scan list, and scan details if possible. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix Inaccurate N/A Results in Grid Map Scans

🔍 Understanding the Problem Grid map scans (also called Local SEO Heatmaps) may sometimes display N/A across most or all grid points, appear to scan indefinitely, or show a "scan is taking longer than expected" message. When a scan does complete, rankings may not match what you see on a live Google search. These issues can be caused by a few different factors, including incorrect grid configuration, coordinate mismatches, or a temporary backend processing delay. The good news is that most of these problems can be resolved by following the steps below. ⚙️ Common Causes of N/A Results - Incorrect grid spacing or radius: If the grid spacing setting does not align with the scan radius, the system may scan the wrong area entirely and return no usable ranking data. - Coordinate mismatch: In some cases, the coordinates stored for your business location may not match what is being passed to the scan, causing pins to appear in the wrong place or not at all. - Scan timeout: Large grid sizes (for example, a 21×21 grid or higher) require significantly more processing time. If the scan exceeds the expected window, it may return incomplete or empty results. - Cached or stale scan data: The last-scan date shown in the list view may sometimes differ from the detail view, meaning you could be looking at outdated results rather than the most recent scan. - Competitor data not loading: Pins may complete without populating competitor analysis, which can make rankings appear artificially low or show unexpected drops. 🛠️ Steps to Resolve the Issue 1. Check your grid settings before scanning. Go to your Local SEO Heatmap configuration and confirm that the grid size, point spacing (in miles or kilometres), and scan radius are set consistently. A mismatch between spacing and radius is one of the most common causes of inaccurate results. 2. Verify your business location pin. On the map setup screen, confirm that the centre pin is placed directly on your Google Business Profile location. If it appears offset or in the wrong area, drag it to the correct position and save before rescanning. 3. Reduce the grid size for a test scan. If you are using a large grid (15×15 or higher), try running a smaller test scan first (for example, 7×7 or 9×9). This completes faster and helps confirm whether the issue is grid-size related or something else. 4. Wait and then refresh the results. If the scan shows "taking longer than expected," do not cancel it. Leave the page open or return after 10–15 minutes and refresh. Large scans process in the background and will complete. 5. Run a fresh scan rather than relying on cached results. If the last-scan date looks inconsistent between the list view and the detail view, start a new scan manually to ensure you are viewing up-to-date data. 6. Compare results against a live Google search. After a scan completes, manually search your target keyword on Google Maps in an incognito window from the same approximate location. If the ranking shown in Search Atlas is significantly different (especially for positions above 10), note the keyword, grid point, and date — this information helps our team investigate further. 📊 What Good Results Should Look Like A successfully completed scan should show colour-coded ranking pins across all (or nearly all) grid points. Green pins indicate strong rankings (positions 1–3), yellow pins indicate mid-range rankings, and red pins indicate weaker positions. N/A should only appear for grid points where your business genuinely has no ranking data — for example, points that fall outside a serviceable area or where Google returned no result for that keyword. If the majority of pins show N/A after a completed scan, this is a signal that something went wrong during the scan process rather than a reflection of your actual rankings. 🚀 When to Escalate to Our Team Try the steps above first. If you have verified your settings, run a fresh scan, and are still seeing widespread N/A results or rankings that clearly do not match live Google data, our team can investigate the backend scan data directly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. To help us resolve your issue faster, please have the following ready: the business name, the keyword used in the scan, the grid size, and a screenshot of both the heatmap result and the live Google search result you are comparing it to.

📍 Fix Missing Local Heatmap Pins

📌 Why pins may be missing Missing pins are usually a display issue rather than a change to your local SEO data. Common causes include an incorrect map zoom level, older scan dates that do not display the center point correctly, or a temporary issue while heatmap results are loading. In some cases, the heatmap may show blank spaces in the platform or in a generated report even though ranking data is available. A pin can also appear differently between the heatmap list, scan details, and Google results when data has refreshed at different times. 🔍 Check the heatmap view 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Open the affected heatmap. 3. Check whether the map is zoomed too far in or out. Adjust the zoom level so the full grid and its location pins are visible. 4. Review the scan date and compare it with the date shown in the heatmap list or scan details. 5. Refresh the page and reopen the heatmap. 📅 Check older scans and reports Older scans may not show the center point or pins correctly in every view. If the pins are missing only for an older date, compare that scan with a newer scan before drawing conclusions about ranking performance. If pins are missing in a report but visible in the heatmap, the issue may be limited to report display. Reopen the heatmap, confirm the correct scan is selected, and generate the report again if needed. 🛠️ Try a new scan 1. Confirm that the heatmap uses the correct business location and search term. 2. Run a new scan from the Local SEO Heatmaps area. 3. Wait for the scan to finish, then check the new result at several zoom levels. 4. Compare the new scan with the affected scan to determine whether the problem is limited to one date. Do not assume that missing pins mean rankings are missing. Check the scan status and ranking values separately from the map markers. ✅ When to request help Contact support if pins remain missing across multiple heatmaps or clients, appear only at certain zoom levels, or are missing in both the platform and generated reports. Include the affected heatmap names, scan dates, location, search term, and a screenshot showing the missing pins. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📍 Fix Incorrect GBP Heatmap Pins

📌 What a heatmap pin represents A heatmap pin shows the location used as the starting point for a local search scan. It is separate from your keyword rankings and does not change your Google Business Profile (GBP) address. If a pin moves to the wrong location, the scan may be using an incorrect map center or saved latitude and longitude. Refreshing the page may not restore the original pin because the scan location is stored with the project or scan data. 🔎 Check your GBP project 1. Open Local from the left sidebar. 2. Go to Overview and select the affected GBP project or location. 3. Confirm that the business name and address match the correct GBP listing. 4. Review the map position and verify that the marker is placed at the intended business location. 🗺️ Check the affected heatmap 1. Open the heatmap containing the affected keywords. 2. Compare the pin with the business address shown in your GBP project. 3. Check whether only older scans are incorrect or whether new scans also use the wrong location. 4. Refresh the page once after confirming the project details. Avoid repeatedly refreshing while the location data is being updated. 🔄 Why refreshing may not fix the pin A refresh reloads the saved scan data; it does not recalculate the scan origin. If the wrong coordinates were stored when the scan ran, the existing keyword pins may continue to display at that position. New scans should use the corrected project location after the GBP address and map data are synchronized. Historical scans may continue to show their original pin because they preserve the location used at the time of scanning. ✅ Recommended next steps - Confirm the GBP address and map marker are correct. - Check that the affected keywords belong to the correct GBP project. - Run a new scan after the location is corrected and compare its pin with the business location. - If the new scan still places the pin incorrectly, record the project name, affected keywords, scan date, and incorrect location. 💬 Get help with a persistent issue If new scans continue to use the wrong location after you verify the GBP project, the issue may require a data correction. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix the Heatmap 'No Quota' Error

🔍 What Is the 'No Quota' Error? If your heatmaps stop refreshing and you see a no quota error message, it does not always mean you have run out of heatmap credits. In many cases, this error is triggered by a payment processing issue on your account, even if your plan appears active and your quota looks normal inside the platform. This is a known issue our engineering team has identified and resolved for affected accounts. However, if you are still seeing this error, the steps below will help you fix it. 💳 Why a Payment Issue Causes This Error Search Atlas links your heatmap quota to the billing status of your account. When a payment fails, is delayed, or is flagged for review, the system can automatically pause heatmap grid refreshes and display a quota error — even if your dashboard still shows available credits. This can affect: - Scheduled heatmap refreshes that stop running silently - New heatmap grids that appear to confirm successfully but never generate - Existing grids that have not updated since their creation date ✅ How to Resolve the Error 1. Check your billing status. Go to your account settings and confirm that your payment method is valid and your most recent invoice has been paid successfully. Look for any failed payment notifications or overdue invoices. 2. Update your payment method if needed. If a charge has failed, add a new card or retry the payment. Once the payment is confirmed, your account billing status will update. 3. Wait up to 15 minutes. After a successful payment, the system needs a short time to re-authorise your quota. Your heatmap refreshes should resume automatically. 4. Trigger a manual refresh. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps, open the affected heatmap project, and manually request a refresh to confirm the error has cleared. 5. Verify the heatmap is generating. If the refresh runs without an error message, your quota has been restored. Allow up to a few hours for the full grid to populate depending on the size of your project. 🛠️ What If My Payment Is Fine but the Error Persists? In some cases, accounts with a clean billing history have still encountered this error due to a backend quota-rejection loop. This means the system incorrectly marked your quota as exhausted and continued rejecting refreshes automatically. Our engineering team has deployed fixes for this issue, but a small number of accounts may still be affected. If your payment is up to date and the error has not cleared after following the steps above, your account may need to be manually reviewed and reset by our team. ⚠️ Important Things to Know - Heatmap grids that were skipped during the error period will not backfill automatically — you will need to trigger a manual refresh for affected projects. - The error message shown in the platform currently does not distinguish between a true quota limit and a billing-related block. An improved message is planned for a future update. - Your heatmap credit count displayed on the dashboard may look unaffected even when this error is active, which is why the root cause is easy to miss. 💬 Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix Heatmap Pins Not Showing in Reports

🔍 Overview If your Local SEO heatmap pins appear inconsistently in reports—sometimes showing fully, sometimes showing only one pin, or disappearing after a refresh—the cause is often a screen resolution or responsive layout rendering issue, not a data or configuration problem. This article walks you through diagnosing and resolving the issue step by step. ⚠️ Symptoms - Heatmap pins appear on some views but not others - Only one small pin displays consistently after refreshing - Pins load correctly in one browser window size but not another - The heatmap grid appears compressed, cut off, or partially rendered - Refreshing the report does not restore the missing pins 🖥️ Why Screen Resolution Causes This The Local SEO heatmap uses a responsive layout that scales the pin grid based on the available screen width. On smaller screens, lower display resolutions, or browser windows set below a minimum width threshold, the rendering engine may compress the grid—causing pins to overlap, fall outside the visible area, or collapse into a single point. This is a known display behavior, not a data loss issue. Your heatmap data remains intact. 🧭 Step 1 — Reproduce the Issue Before applying fixes, confirm that screen resolution is the cause: 1. Go to Left sidebar → Reports and open the affected report. 2. Note your current browser window size. 3. Resize your browser window to full screen or increase it to at least 1280 px wide. 4. Reload the report page. 5. Check whether more pins now appear on the heatmap. If the pins return at a wider window size, screen resolution is confirmed as the root cause. Continue to Step 2. 🛠️ Step 2 — Apply Recommended Workarounds Use one or more of the following fixes depending on your setup: - Maximise your browser window: Expand the browser to full screen (press F11 on Windows or use the green maximise button on Mac) and reload the report. - Increase display resolution: On Windows, go to Settings → Display → Resolution and select 1920 × 1080 or higher. On Mac, go to System Settings → Displays and choose a higher resolution or a larger scaled size. - Set browser zoom to 100%: A browser zoom level above 100% reduces effective screen width. Press Ctrl + 0 (Windows) or Cmd + 0 (Mac) to reset zoom to default, then reload the report. - Use a larger monitor or device: If you are viewing on a laptop with a small screen, try opening the report on a desktop monitor with a wider display. - Switch to a Chromium-based browser: Chrome or Edge at full screen on a 1080p or higher display provides the most reliable heatmap rendering. 📍 Step 3 — Verify the Heatmap Data Is Intact After adjusting your resolution or window size, confirm your data is complete: 1. Go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview and select the relevant GBP project. 2. Confirm that your heatmap scan dates and keyword configurations are still listed and intact. 3. Return to Left sidebar → Reports, open the report, and verify that the full pin grid now renders correctly. If the pin count matches your expected scan grid (for example, a 7 × 7 grid should show 49 pins), the data was never lost—only the display was affected. 🔄 Step 4 — Re-run a Scan if Pins Are Still Missing If you have confirmed your resolution is at least 1280 px wide and pins are still not displaying correctly, a re-scan may be needed: 1. Go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview and open the affected project. 2. Locate the relevant keyword and heatmap configuration. 3. Trigger a new scan and wait for it to complete. 4. Return to Left sidebar → Reports and check whether the heatmap now displays correctly in the report. ✅ Quick-Reference Checklist - Browser window width is at least 1280 px - Browser zoom is set to 100% - Display resolution is 1920 × 1080 or higher - Using a Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge recommended) - Heatmap data verified as intact in Local → GBP Projects → Overview - Re-scan triggered if pins remain missing after display fixes 💬 Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

Fix Reports Not Syncing Analytics and Heatmap Data

🔍 Overview If your Search Atlas reports are missing Google Analytics or heatmap data — even though your integrations appear connected — one or more underlying issues may be preventing a successful sync. This article explains what to have ready and how to get the right help, since resolving this issue typically requires our support team to investigate your specific account. ⚠️ What May Be Happening - Google Analytics 4 (GA4) connection issue: Your GA4 integration may need to be reconnected or re-authorized. Even if the integration appears connected, the underlying authorization may no longer be active. - Account or permission mismatch: The Google account linked during setup may no longer have the necessary access to the GA4 property selected during integration. - Backend sync delay: Data pipelines can occasionally experience processing delays, especially after a new integration is set up. - Heatmap tracking not active: The heatmap tracking may not be correctly configured for your website, or a recent site update may have affected it. 🛠️ What to Do 1. Try reconnecting your Google Analytics integration. In your Search Atlas Account Menu → Settings → Integrations, locate the Google Analytics integration and disconnect it, then reconnect it by completing the authorization flow again. Make sure you are authorizing with the Google account that has access to the correct GA4 property. 2. Check your GA4 property access. Log in to Google Analytics (analytics.google.com) and confirm that the Google account you used to connect Search Atlas is still listed as an active user on the correct GA4 property. 3. Wait and recheck. After reconnecting, allow some time for data to populate, then open an affected report and check whether your Analytics or heatmap data has begun to appear. 4. If data is still missing, escalate to our team. Our support team will need to investigate your account directly. Before reaching out, please have the following ready: - The name of the affected report(s) - The GA4 property name or ID you are trying to connect - The Google account email used for the integration - A description of what data is missing and approximately when it stopped appearing If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix Google My Business Heatmap Not Generating

🔍 Overview If your Google My Business (GBP) location is connected in Search Atlas but the heatmap fails to generate — even after reconnecting your account or manually entering your address — the most common cause is missing keywords. The heatmap needs at least one keyword assigned to your location before it can fetch and display ranking data. This article walks you through the full troubleshooting process. ✅ Before You Start: Confirm Your Setup Before troubleshooting the heatmap itself, verify the following basics are in place: - Your GBP account is successfully connected to Search Atlas. - Your business location appears under Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. - Your business address is correct — either pulled automatically from Google or entered manually. If any of these are missing, resolve them first using the steps in the next section. 📍 Step 1 — Verify Your Location Is Connected and Configured 1. Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. 2. Locate your business (for example, Power Within Chiropractic) in the project list. 3. Open the location and confirm that your business address is displayed correctly. - If the address is missing or incorrect, select the option to edit or manually enter your address and save your changes. 4. If your GBP account appears disconnected, use the reconnect option and follow the on-screen prompts to re-authorize your Google account. Once the address is confirmed and the account is connected, move on to Step 2. Note: a connected location with a valid address alone is not enough to generate a heatmap — keywords are also required. 🔑 Step 2 — Add Keywords to Your Location (Most Common Fix) This is the step most commonly missed. The heatmap uses keywords to determine which search terms to track and map local rankings for. Without at least one keyword, the heatmap has no data to display and will not generate. 1. Go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects and open your business location. 2. Navigate to the Overview tab (Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview). 3. Look for the keyword or heatmap settings section within your location project. 4. Add one or more relevant search keywords for your business — for example, chiropractor near me, chiropractic adjustment, or your primary service terms. 5. Save your changes. After adding keywords, allow a few minutes for the system to begin fetching data. Refresh the heatmap view to check if it has started generating. 🔄 Step 3 — If the Heatmap Still Does Not Appear If you have confirmed a valid address and added keywords but the heatmap is still not generating, try the following: - Wait and refresh: Heatmap data can take several minutes to populate after keywords are first added. Refresh the page after 5–10 minutes. - Check keyword relevance: Make sure the keywords you added match services your business is actually associated with on Google. Generic or unrelated terms may return no local ranking data. - Reconnect your GBP account: If the connection status appears unstable, disconnect and reconnect your Google account under Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects, then re-add your keywords if they were cleared during the process. - Manually re-enter your address: If the address field is blank or auto-population failed, manually type and save your full business address, then confirm keywords are still assigned. ⚠️ Common Mistakes That Cause Heatmap Failures - Skipping keyword setup: Connecting your location and entering an address without adding keywords is the leading cause of heatmap generation failure. - Repeated reconnections without checking keywords: Reconnecting your GBP account will not fix a missing-keyword issue. Always verify keywords are assigned after any reconnection. - Incorrect or incomplete address: An address that does not match your verified Google Business Profile address can prevent accurate data fetching. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix Scheduled Heatmap Scans Running at Wrong Time

🔍 Overview If your scheduled Local SEO Heatmap scans are running at a different time than you intended, this article explains what to check and what information to have ready when contacting support for investigation. 🕐 Why the Scan May Run at the Wrong Time Incorrect scan timing is a known issue that our team investigates on a per-account basis. Possible contributing factors can include how the schedule was configured and how time values are interpreted by the platform, but the exact cause needs to be confirmed by our support team reviewing your specific setup. 🛠️ What to Do If Your Scans Are Running at the Wrong Time 1. Note the heatmap name and the schedule you set. Record exactly what time and frequency you entered when creating or last editing the scan schedule. 2. Record the actual run times. Check your heatmap history and note the timestamps at which the scans are actually executing. 3. Check your account timezone setting. Navigate to your account or profile settings and confirm which timezone is currently configured. Note this value. 4. Contact support. Share the heatmap name, your intended schedule, the actual run times observed, and your account timezone with our team so they can investigate the root cause and correct the behavior on the backend. Because this issue requires backend investigation, do not delete and recreate your heatmap schedule until support has reviewed the problem — doing so may remove the data needed to diagnose the issue. 📋 What to Have Ready When You Escalate - The name of the affected heatmap(s) - The scheduled time you entered (including any timezone you selected during setup) - The actual timestamps the scans ran, copied from the platform - Your account timezone as shown in your profile or account settings ❓ Still Seeing Incorrect Scan Times? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Fix Heatmap Comparison Data Missing in PDF

🔍 Overview When you download an individual Local SEO Heatmap report from the Report Builder, you may notice that the business results comparison data columns or sections appear blank in the exported PDF. This article explains why this happens and the steps you can take to resolve it. ⚙️ Why Comparison Data Is Missing Comparison data in a Local SEO Heatmap report requires at least two separate heatmap scans to exist for the same location and keyword. The report uses these scans to calculate the difference in rankings between two points in time. If comparison data is not populating in your downloaded PDF, one of the following is likely the cause: - Only one heatmap scan has been completed for the selected location and keyword — there is no earlier scan to compare against. - The date range selected in the report does not include two or more scans. - The heatmap scan was recently added to the report and the second data point has not yet been generated. - The individual report was built before a comparison scan was available, and the report configuration has not been refreshed. 🛠️ How to Fix the Issue 1. Verify your heatmap scan history. Go to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview and open the relevant GBP project. Confirm that there are at least two completed heatmap scans recorded for the location and keyword you are reporting on. 2. Check your scan schedule. If you only have one scan, wait until the next scheduled scan completes. Scans run automatically based on the frequency you configured when setting up the project. You can review or adjust the scan frequency inside your GBP project settings. 3. Review the date range in Report Builder. Navigate to Left sidebar → Reports and open the relevant report. Make sure the date range you have selected in the report configuration spans a period that includes two or more heatmap scans. Narrow date ranges may exclude the earlier scan needed for comparison. 4. Rebuild or refresh the report. If the report was created before the second scan was available, the comparison data may not have been pulled in automatically. Open the report in Left sidebar → Reports, remove the Local SEO Heatmap widget, re-add it, and reconfigure the date range. Then download the PDF again. 5. Re-download the PDF. After confirming that at least two scans exist and the date range covers both, download the report again from the Report Builder. The comparison columns should now populate correctly. ✅ Confirming the Fix Once the steps above are complete, open the downloaded PDF and look for the comparison columns in the heatmap section. You should see before and after ranking values alongside the difference indicators. If the data still appears blank after following all the steps, the issue may require further investigation. 💡 Tips to Prevent This in the Future - Allow at least one full scan cycle to complete before generating a comparison report for a new location or keyword. - Set a consistent scan frequency — weekly or bi-weekly scans give you more data points and richer comparison reports over time. - When building a new report in Report Builder, always confirm the date range includes multiple scan dates before downloading. 🙋 Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix Competitor Names Showing in Local SEO Heatmap

🔍 What Is Happening? When you open your Local SEO Heatmap, you expect to see your own business name tracking keyword rankings across your target area. If a competitor's business name is appearing in your heatmap configuration instead, this is not a normal setup state. It typically points to one of three root causes: a Google Business Profile (GBP) connection pulling in the wrong listing, a project configuration error where the wrong business was selected, or a data sync issue that associated your project with an incorrect GBP entry. This article walks you through each cause and tells you exactly how to fix it. ✅ Before You Begin Confirm the following before troubleshooting: - You are logged in to Search Atlas with the account that owns the Local project. - You have Admin or Editor access to the GBP Projects section. - You have access to the Google Business Profile that belongs to your business. 🛠️ Step 1 — Check Which Business Is Connected to Your Project Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects. You will land on the GBP Projects page at /gbp-galactic/gbp-projects. Locate the project linked to your Local SEO Heatmap and review the business name displayed on the project card. - If the project card already shows the competitor's name, the wrong GBP listing was connected at project creation. Continue to Step 2. - If the project card shows your correct business name but the heatmap still displays the competitor, this is a data sync issue. Skip to Step 3. ⚙️ Step 2 — Correct the GBP Connection If the wrong business is connected to the project, you need to disconnect the incorrect GBP listing and reconnect the correct one. 1. On the GBP Projects page, open the project settings for the affected project. 2. Locate the connected Google Business Profile and remove the incorrect listing. 3. Reconnect by selecting Connect GBP Account (on the Local → GBP Projects page) and choosing the correct business from the list of GBP accounts authorised under your Google account. 4. Save the project settings. 5. Return to the Local SEO Heatmap for that project and confirm your business name now appears correctly. Important: If you do not see your business listed when reconnecting, make sure the Google account you are using has Manager or Owner access to the correct GBP listing. A missing listing at this step means the Google account connected to Search Atlas does not have permission to access your business profile. 🔄 Step 3 — Force a Data Sync If your project card shows the correct business name but the heatmap configuration still displays the competitor's name, the issue is a data sync mismatch between your project settings and the heatmap data layer. 1. Open the affected Local project from the GBP Projects page. 2. Navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Overview to confirm your business details are displayed correctly at the overview level. 3. Return to your Local SEO Heatmap and refresh the page completely using a hard reload (Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, Cmd + Shift + R on Mac). 4. Wait up to two minutes for the heatmap data to repopulate, then check whether your business name now appears correctly in the configuration. If the competitor's name is still present after a forced refresh, do not modify further settings. This confirms a backend data association error that requires engineering review. Proceed to Step 4. 🚩 Step 4 — Rule Out a Duplicate or Conflicting Project In some cases, a second Local project may have been created for the same target area using the competitor's GBP listing, and the heatmap is displaying data from that project rather than yours. - Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects and review all projects listed on the GBP Projects page. - Check whether any project is named after or connected to your competitor. - If a conflicting project exists, delete it or disconnect the competitor's GBP listing from it, then recheck your heatmap. If no conflicting project exists and the competitor's name is still appearing, this is confirmed as a platform-level data issue. 📋 What to Check if Nothing Works If you have completed all steps above and the competitor's business name is still appearing in your Local SEO Heatmap, collect the following information before contacting support. Having this ready will speed up the engineering review significantly: - The name of the affected Local project and the URL of the heatmap page showing the issue. - A screenshot clearly showing the competitor's name appearing in the heatmap configuration. - The name of the competitor business that is appearing incorrectly. - The GBP listing name and address of your own business as it appears in Google. - Confirmation of whether the issue appeared after a specific action, such as reconnecting a GBP account, creating a new project, or after a team member made changes. 💬 Still Seeing the Issue? If the competitor's name persists after following all steps above, this requires direct investigation by our engineering team to resolve the data association at the backend level. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📍 Update Keywords in GBP Audit Reports and Heatmaps

📋 Overview Your Google Business Profile (GBP) audit reports and local heatmaps are built around the keywords you select. If your target keywords change, your services expand, or you simply want to track different search terms, you can update these keywords at any time. This article walks you through the process so your data always reflects what matters most to your business. 🔍 Why Keywords Matter in GBP Audits and Heatmaps The keywords you choose directly control: - Audit report content — Search Atlas evaluates your GBP listing's relevance and visibility for these specific terms. - Heatmap grid results — Each pin on the local heatmap shows your business's ranking for the selected keyword at that geographic point. - Competitive insights — Competitor comparisons are scoped to the same keywords, so accuracy here is essential. Keeping your keywords up to date ensures your reports reflect your actual local SEO performance. 🛠️ How to Update Keywords in Your GBP Audit Report 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account and navigate to the Local SEO section from the left sidebar. 2. Open the GBP Audit for the business location you want to update. 3. Locate the Keywords section within the audit settings or report configuration panel. 4. Remove any outdated keywords by clicking the X or delete icon next to each one. 5. Type your new target keywords into the keyword input field. Select from the suggestions or press Enter to add a custom term. 6. Click Save or Update Report to apply your changes. 7. Allow a few moments for the audit to regenerate with the updated keywords. Refresh the page if the report does not update automatically. 🗺️ How to Update Keywords in Your Local Heatmap 1. From the left sidebar, navigate to the Local section and open Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Select the heatmap you want to edit, or create a new one for the updated keyword. 3. Click the Settings or Edit option associated with the heatmap. 4. Update the Target Keyword field with your new search term. 5. Adjust the grid size or location settings if needed to match your updated tracking goals. 6. Click Save to generate fresh results based on the new keyword. Note: Each heatmap is tied to a single keyword. To track multiple keywords, create a separate heatmap for each one. 💡 Best Practices for Choosing GBP Keywords - Use service-specific terms — Target keywords that describe exactly what you offer, such as "emergency plumber Chicago" rather than just "plumber." - Match search intent — Choose terms your customers actually type when looking for local businesses like yours. - Limit to high-priority terms — Focus on the keywords that drive the most valuable traffic rather than tracking every possible variation. - Review regularly — Revisit your keyword selections monthly or after any major change to your services or service area. - Check for seasonal trends — Update keywords ahead of busy seasons to capture timely search demand. ⚠️ Common Issues and Troubleshooting - Report not refreshing after keyword update: Hard-refresh your browser (Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, Cmd + Shift + R on Mac) or clear your cache and try again. - Heatmap still showing old keyword data: Confirm you clicked Save before leaving the settings panel. Re-open the heatmap settings to verify the new keyword is applied. - Keyword not found in suggestions: You can type any custom keyword directly into the input field and press Enter to add it, even if it does not appear in the auto-suggestions. - Changes not saving: Ensure you have the correct permissions for the project. If you are a collaborator, contact the project owner to confirm your access level. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📍 Local SEO Heatmaps: Fixing Incorrect Pin Placement for Service Area Businesses (SAB)

🤔 Why SAB heatmap pins appear in the wrong location Service Area Businesses (SABs) — like plumbers, electricians, or mobile services — do not have a fixed storefront address in their Google Business Profile. Without an exact address anchor, the heatmap system cannot automatically determine where to center the grid. 🛠️ How to fix the pin location 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps 2. Open your project and find the Heatmaps view 3. Find the keyword where the pins are misplaced 4. Click the pin on the map to select it 5. Drag the pin to the correct location — the city or neighborhood center where you want the heatmap grid 6. Click Save to generate fresh results from the corrected location 🎯 Set the location at keyword level If you set a location at the project level but individual keywords still show wrong pins, you need to also set the location at the keyword level. Keyword-level settings override project-level settings for heatmap placement. 🔄 Pin moves back after a manual refresh? A previously reported issue where a corrected pin reverted to its old location after a manual refresh has been resolved. If you still see this behavior, refresh the page and re-run the heatmap so the corrected center is saved — your dragged location should now persist. ⚠️ Can't create a heatmap for your SAB? If you previously received an error when trying to generate a heatmap for a Service Area Business, this has been fixed — SAB heatmap creation is supported. If you hit a “Location not Found” error when a heatmap fails to display inside Report Builder, confirm a valid pin location has been set for the keyword and re-run the heatmap before adding it to the report. 💡 Tip: use a neighborhood center point For the most useful heatmap data, drag your pin to the geographic center of your primary service area — typically the downtown area or most densely populated zone of the city you serve.

🗺️ Fix Missing Heatmap Comparison Data in PDF Reports

🔍 Overview When you download an individual Local SEO Heatmap report from Report Builder, the business results comparison section may appear blank in the exported PDF. This is a known display issue most commonly caused by cached browser data interfering with how the report renders before download. Following the steps below — starting with clearing your browser cache — resolves this in the majority of cases. 🧹 Step 1: Clear Your Browser Cache (Primary Fix) A stale browser cache is the most common cause of comparison data not populating in downloaded Heatmap PDFs. Clear it before trying anything else. 1. In Google Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac) to open the Clear browsing data panel. 2. Set the Time range to All time. 3. Check Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data. 4. Click Clear data. 5. Close and reopen your browser, then log back in to Search Atlas. 6. Navigate to Left sidebar → Report Builder and open your Local SEO Heatmap report. 7. Attempt the PDF download again and confirm the comparison data is now populating. If you use a browser other than Chrome, locate the equivalent cache-clearing option in your browser settings — the steps are similar in Firefox, Edge, and Safari. 📄 Step 2: Re-Download the Report from Report Builder After clearing your cache, follow these steps to download the Heatmap report correctly. 1. Go to Left sidebar → Report Builder. 2. Locate and open the relevant project in your reports list. 3. Find the Local SEO Heatmap report you need. 4. Click the download or export option to generate the PDF. 5. Open the downloaded file and verify that the business results comparison section is fully populated. 🔄 Step 3: Try an Incognito or Private Window If clearing the cache does not resolve the issue immediately, open an incognito or private browsing window. This bypasses any remaining cached data or browser extensions that may be interfering with report rendering. 1. Open a new Incognito window in Chrome (Ctrl + Shift + N / Cmd + Shift + N) or an equivalent private window in your browser. 2. Log in to Search Atlas and navigate to Left sidebar → Report Builder. 3. Open the Local SEO Heatmap report and attempt the PDF download again. ⚙️ Step 4: Check Your Local SEO Heatmap Setup If comparison data is still missing after the cache fix, confirm that your Heatmap report is configured correctly in the Local section of the platform. - Navigate to Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview and confirm the business profile associated with the report is active and properly connected. - Ensure that at least one competitor has been added to the Heatmap configuration. Comparison data requires competitor entries to be present — without them, the comparison section will remain empty even in a correctly rendered PDF. - If you recently added competitors or made configuration changes, allow a short processing window before downloading. Newly added data may not appear instantly in exported reports. 🖥️ Step 5: Switch Browsers If the issue persists across the steps above, try downloading the report using a different browser entirely. Browser-specific rendering behaviour can occasionally affect how PDF exports are generated, and switching browsers is a quick way to rule this out. ⚠️ When to Escalate If you have completed all of the steps above and the business results comparison data is still not appearing in your downloaded PDF, the issue may require investigation on the platform side. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Local SEO Heatmap Quota and Failed Payments

🔍 Overview Your Local SEO Heatmap quota may show as depleted — even if you believe credits should be available — when a recent payment on your account has failed. This article explains why this happens and what steps you can take to restore your full quota. 💳 Why a Failed Payment Depletes Your Quota When Search Atlas cannot process a payment, your account is temporarily restricted to prevent usage beyond what has been paid. This affects resource-heavy features like the Local SEO Heatmap, which consumes quota credits each time an audit runs. As a result: - Your displayed quota may drop to zero or to a lower-than-expected number. - Any attempt to run a new Local SEO Heatmap audit may be blocked until the payment issue is resolved. - Quota that appeared available before the failed payment may be placed on hold until billing is confirmed. This is not a bug — it is a safeguard to keep your account in good standing and ensure accurate quota tracking. ✅ How to Check Your Current Quota Before troubleshooting billing, confirm your current quota balance by logging in to Search Atlas and reviewing the quota information available in your account. If your quota reads zero or lower than expected, a billing issue is the most likely cause. 🛠️ How to Resolve a Failed Payment Fixing the failed payment will restore your quota. Follow these steps: 1. Navigate to Billing (or Subscription) from the top-right avatar (Account Menu) in the platform. 2. Review any outstanding invoices or payment failure notices displayed on the page. 3. Update your payment method if the card on file has expired, been declined, or been replaced. 4. Retry the failed charge manually, or wait for the next automatic retry if one is scheduled. 5. Once the payment is processed successfully, check whether your quota has been restored. If it has not updated after a few minutes, refresh your browser and check again. 🗺️ Running a Local SEO Heatmap Audit After Quota Is Restored After your payment is confirmed, return to the Local SEO Heatmap section of the platform and attempt to run your audit as normal. If your quota still appears depleted after a successful payment, allow a few minutes for the system to sync and then refresh your browser before trying again. 🚫 Still Seeing Issues? If your quota remains depleted after successfully resolving a failed payment, please be ready to share the following when reaching out for support: your account email, the approximate date and time the payment was processed, and any confirmation or error messages you received. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔧 Fix Duplicate Heatmap Entries and OTTO Pixel Scripts

What Causes These Duplicates? Two separate but related issues can occur when setting up Local SEO Heatmaps and the OTTO pixel on a WordPress site: - Duplicate business entries in Local SEO Heatmaps — This happens when the same Google Business Profile (GBP) location is connected or imported more than once. Common triggers include re-connecting a GBP account after a sync error, importing locations multiple times, or creating a new project for a business that already has an active one. - Duplicate OTTO pixel scripts on WordPress — This occurs when the OTTO pixel snippet is added manually (via a theme, plugin, or header editor) while the Search Atlas WordPress plugin is also active and injecting the same script automatically. Both methods running simultaneously result in the pixel firing twice per page load. Understanding the root cause lets you fix the issue correctly and prevent it from recurring. How to Remove Duplicate Business Entries in Local SEO Heatmaps 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. 2. Review your list of GBP projects. Look for any business name that appears more than once with the same address or location details. 3. Click into each duplicate entry and compare the creation date, heatmap data, and connected GBP account to identify which entry is the original and which is the duplicate. 4. Select the duplicate entry you want to remove and use the available project settings or delete option to permanently remove it. 5. Repeat for any additional duplicates until only one entry per business location remains. Important: Before deleting any entry, confirm it does not contain unique heatmap scan data you want to keep. If both entries hold valuable data, export or note the results before removing the duplicate. How to Remove Duplicate OTTO Pixel Scripts on WordPress The OTTO pixel should only be injected once per page. Follow these steps to identify which method is causing the duplication and remove the extra instance. 1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard. 2. Check whether the Search Atlas WordPress plugin is installed and active by going to Plugins → Installed Plugins. If it is active, the plugin handles pixel injection automatically — you do not need to add the script manually anywhere else. 3. If you also added the pixel script manually, locate and remove it. Common places where manual scripts are added include: - Your theme's header or footer template files - SEO or header management plugins that allow custom code injection - Any other plugin or tool configured to insert scripts site-wide 4. After removing the manual instance, save your changes and clear any site or server cache. 5. Reload a page on your site and verify that the OTTO pixel script appears only once in the page source. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Fix Google Analytics and Heatmap Data Not Syncing

🔍 Overview If your Search Atlas reports are not reflecting Google Analytics or heatmap data — even after confirming your integrations are active — there are several common causes. This article walks you through the most effective troubleshooting steps to restore accurate data across all affected reports. ⚙️ Step 1: Verify Your Integration Status Before anything else, confirm that your Google Analytics integration is properly connected and authorized inside Search Atlas. 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to your account settings by clicking your profile icon in the top-right corner. 3. Locate the Integrations section and confirm that Google Analytics shows a Connected status. 4. If the status shows Disconnected or Error, click Reconnect and re-authorize access through your Google account. 5. Ensure the correct Google Analytics property and data view are selected for each project. 🛠️ Step 2: Check Heatmap Tracking Script Installation Heatmap data requires a tracking script to be installed on your website. If this script is missing or placed incorrectly, no heatmap data will be recorded or displayed. - Confirm the Search Atlas heatmap tracking script is present in the <head> section of every page you want to track. - If you recently updated your website theme, CMS, or tag manager setup, the script may have been removed. Re-add it and allow 24–48 hours for data to populate. - Use your browser's developer tools (right-click → Inspect → Sources or Network tab) to verify the script is loading without errors. ⏳ Step 3: Allow Sufficient Data Processing Time Both Google Analytics and heatmap data are not always available in real time. Processing delays are normal and typically resolve on their own. - Google Analytics data can take up to 24–48 hours to appear in your reports after a new connection or reconnection. - Heatmap data requires actual user visits to your pages before it will display. Low-traffic pages may take several days to show meaningful results. - If you recently created a new report, wait at least 48 hours before assuming there is a sync issue. 📊 Step 4: Review Report Date Ranges and Filters Incorrect date ranges or active filters are a common reason reports appear empty or incomplete. 1. Open the affected report inside Search Atlas. 2. Check the date range selector and ensure it covers a period when your integrations were active and your site was receiving traffic. 3. Review any active filters — segment filters, device filters, or URL filters — that may be limiting the data displayed. 4. Reset filters to their default state and re-run the report to see if data appears. 🔄 Step 5: Disconnect and Reconnect the Integration If data is still missing after completing the steps above, a full reconnection often resolves underlying authorization or token expiry issues. 1. Go to your account Integrations settings. 2. Click Disconnect next to Google Analytics. 3. Wait 30 seconds, then click Connect and complete the Google authorization flow again. 4. Re-select the correct Analytics property and view for each affected project. 5. Navigate to Left sidebar → Site Metrics (Site Explorer) and open one of your affected reports to confirm data is now loading. 💡 Additional Tips - If the issue affects multiple reports, the root cause is almost always the integration itself — a single reconnection should resolve all of them at once. - Make sure the Google account you use to connect Analytics has at least Viewer-level permissions on the Analytics property. - Ad blockers or privacy browser extensions on your own machine can sometimes prevent heatmap scripts from firing during your own visits — test with extensions disabled. - If you are using Google Tag Manager to deploy the heatmap script, confirm the tag is set to fire on All Pages and that the container is published. 🆘 Still Need Help? If you have completed all the steps above and your Analytics or heatmap data is still not appearing in your reports, our team is ready to investigate further. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Fix a Local SEO Heatmap Stuck Fetching

🔍 Why Does This Happen? A Local SEO heatmap can get stuck on fetching data for several reasons: - The ranking data request timed out in the background before results were returned. - Your Google Business Profile (GBP) account hit its API quota limit, temporarily blocking new data pulls. - A one-time sync error caused the scan to stall without displaying an error message. - A slow polling cycle meant the system could not confirm whether data had arrived or not. In most cases your historical baseline data is safe — the issue is with the active scan, not stored results. ✅ Step-by-Step Resolution 1. Wait 10–15 minutes. Background ranking fetches can take longer than expected. If the spinner is still showing after 15 minutes, continue to the next step. 2. Refresh your browser. Press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac) to do a hard refresh. This clears cached states that can falsely show a fetch in progress. 3. Navigate back to Local SEO Heatmaps. Go to Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps. Check whether the heatmap now shows data or a clear error message. 4. Check your GBP Project connection. Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects and confirm your GBP account is connected and the project status is active. A disconnected account will cause all heatmap scans to stall. 5. Re-import or refresh the heatmap. On the Local SEO Heatmaps page, use the Import from Google Business Profile button to re-sync your location data, or click Save to trigger a new scan cycle. This will not overwrite existing historical data. 6. Verify historical data is intact. After the page reloads, scroll through your heatmap results to confirm previous scans are still visible. Baseline data is stored separately from active scan results and is not affected by a stalled fetch. ⚠️ API Quota Limit If your heatmap gets stuck repeatedly, your GBP account may have reached its daily API quota. When quota is exhausted, new ranking fetches are queued but cannot complete until the quota resets — typically within 24 hours. - Avoid triggering multiple manual refreshes in quick succession, as each attempt consumes quota. - Wait until the following day and allow the heatmap to run its scheduled scan automatically. - If you manage multiple GBP locations, consider spacing out heatmap scans to reduce quota consumption. 🛠️ If the Heatmap Is Still Stuck If you have completed all the steps above and the heatmap remains on fetching data after more than an hour, collect the following details before contacting support: - The name of the affected heatmap or GBP project (e.g., Starstone Fellowship). - How long the heatmap has been stuck. - Whether the issue affects one location or multiple locations. - Any error messages you see on screen. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Local SEO Heatmaps: Quota Exhausted Errors, Failed Top-Ups & Incorrect Pin Placement

When your heatmap shows "Quota Exhausted," your Local SEO Points for the current billing cycle have been fully consumed — or an expected top-up was never added. This article explains how points are calculated, when they reset, how to spot a failed recurring top-up, and how to fix a pin-placement bug that may have wasted credits. ⚠️ What "Quota Exhausted" Means Heatmaps draw from a pool of Local SEO Points included in your plan. Each pin on the heatmap grid costs 1 point per keyword layer. Once you've used all your points for the billing cycle, Search Atlas blocks new scans and displays "Quota Exhausted." 📊 How Heatmap Points Are Consumed Point usage scales with your grid size and keyword count: - Each grid pin = 1 Local SEO Point per keyword - A 7×7 grid with 1 keyword = 49 points - A 7×7 grid with 3 keywords = 147 points - Larger grids and more keywords consume proportionally more - Refreshing a heatmap costs the same number of points as creating it - Deleting a heatmap does not restore points already consumed 🔄 When Local SEO Points Reset Points reset monthly on your billing anniversary date — the day you subscribed or last changed your plan. This is not the 1st of the month. To find your exact reset date: 1. Click your profile icon (top-right). 2. Select Billing. 3. Read your next billing date, displayed under your plan name. 💳 Failed Recurring Top-Up (Points Never Added) If you have a recurring Local SEO Points top-up — for example, 5,000 points for $50/month — those points are only added to your quota when the monthly charge succeeds. Charges most often fail because of an expired card, an invalid or removed payment method, or insufficient funds. When the charge fails, your top-up shows as Past Due and the extra points are never credited, so your quota runs out far sooner than expected. How to confirm a failed top-up To verify whether a top-up was processed, go to your profile icon (top-right) → Billing → Activity Log. The Quota Log lists every Local SEO Point addition and every heatmap consumption, each with a timestamp. If your top-up date is missing from the log, the charge failed and no points were added. 1. Open Top-right corner (avatar) → Billing → Activity Log tab to review point activity. 2. Look for points being consumed normally but hitting the limit early, with no top-up credit added for the cycle. 3. Click your profile icon (top-right) → Billing and check whether your top-up is marked Past Due. How to fix it 1. Check your payment method in Billing settings. 2. If your card is expired or invalid, update it. 3. The top-up will retry automatically within 24–48 hours, or you can retry the Past Due charge manually in Billing. 4. If it continues to fail, contact Support with your invoice number. Once the charge goes through, your top-up points are added to your quota and you can run heatmaps again. 🧾 Recurring vs. One-Time Top-Ups There are two ways to add Local SEO Points to your quota: - Recurring top-up: A fixed number of Local SEO Points added automatically each month when the charge succeeds (see the failed top-up section above). - One-time top-up: A single purchase of Local SEO Points that is auto-credited to your quota right after payment. One-time top-up points normally appear in your quota within 15 minutes of a successful payment. If they don't, open your order history under Billing to confirm the purchase completed, then contact Support if the points are still missing. Note: A past bug (QPB-786) caused some one-time top-ups to under-allocate Local SEO Points — crediting far fewer points than were purchased. This has been fixed. If you bought a one-time top-up previously and your quota looks lower than expected, check your Quota Log and contact Support so we can review and correct the allocation. ❓ Common Misconceptions About Points "I deleted heatmaps — why didn't my points come back?" Points are consumed at creation or refresh time. Deleting a heatmap does not refund them. "I only created a few heatmaps." Check your grid size and keyword count. A single large heatmap can consume hundreds of points. "My points should have already reset." Resets happen on your billing anniversary date, not the 1st of the month. Check Billing for your exact date. "I have a recurring top-up — why is my quota so low?" If your top-up charge is Past Due, the points were never added this cycle. Check your Quota Log and update your payment method in Billing. 📍 Incorrect Pin Placement (Lat/Long Bug) If your heatmap pins appear in the wrong geographic location — for example, dropped in Lake Michigan, or 250–375 miles away from your actual business address — even though the correct address is saved in your business profile, this is a geocoding issue, not a quota issue. It most commonly affected Service Area Business profiles, where the heatmap coordinates were resolved incorrectly from the saved address. This was a known bug affecting how heatmap coordinates were resolved from saved addresses. It has been resolved by our engineering team. Retry your heatmap to confirm that pins now display in the correct location. How to correct misplaced pins 1. Open the affected heatmap and drag the pin to the correct location, or reconfirm your business address in your profile. 2. Rerun the heatmap to generate accurate results. 3. Delete the incorrect scans that returned false results. Note that deleting a heatmap does not restore the Local SEO Points already consumed. Were your Local SEO Points consumed by an affected scan? If you ran heatmaps that returned false results due to incorrect pin placement, you may be eligible for a refund of those Local SEO Points. Contact Support with: - The affected business location(s) - The date(s) the impacted heatmap scans were run - The number of Local SEO Points you'd like reviewed (e.g., "2,000 Local SEO Points") 🛠️ How to Fix a Quota Exhausted Error Choose the option that fits your situation: - Fix a failed recurring top-up: If your top-up is Past Due, update your payment method or retry the charge in Billing so the points are added. - Top up immediately: Click your profile icon (top-right) → Billing → Plans & Top-ups → Top Up. - Upgrade your plan: Higher plans include more Local SEO Points per month. - Wait for your reset: Points reset on your next billing date. Check Billing to see the exact date. - Request a Local SEO Points refund (specific cases only): If points were consumed by scans affected by the pin-placement bug, contact Support with the details listed above. 🎯 You now know how to read your Quota Log, confirm whether a Past Due top-up left points uncredited, and choose the right fix — top up, update your payment method, upgrade, wait for your reset, or request a refund. If your top-up still won't process or your Quota Log doesn't match what you expect, contact Support so we can review your account.

📍 Fix Keyword-Level Heatmap Pin Wrong Location

🔍 What Is This Issue? For service-area businesses (SABs), the heatmap pin may appear correctly at the project level but shift significantly — sometimes 250–375 miles off — when you open a heatmap at the keyword level. This causes heatmap results to reflect the wrong geographic area, producing inaccurate local ranking data. This was a confirmed platform bug affecting how the pin center was assigned at the keyword level. An engineering fix has been deployed. However, if you generated heatmaps before the fix was applied, those results were built around the wrong location and may need to be regenerated. ⚙️ Why This Happened The root cause was an argument-order error in how the platform assigned the pin's latitude and longitude when creating heatmaps at the keyword level for SABs. As a result, the map center was calculated incorrectly even when the pin looked correct on the project overview. Engineering resolved this and the fix is now live. 🛠️ What to Do If You Were Affected Because previously generated heatmaps were built around the wrong location, those results reflect inaccurate geographic data. If you believe your heatmaps were generated before the engineering fix was applied and are showing results for the wrong area, please reach out to our support team so they can review your account, confirm whether you were affected, and advise on next steps including any heatmap regeneration. When contacting support, have the following ready to help the team verify your case quickly: - The name of the affected heatmap project - The specific keywords or keyword-level heatmaps showing the incorrect pin location - The approximate date(s) you generated the affected heatmaps - The correct location or service area the pin should have been centered on 📊 What About Quota Used on Incorrect Heatmaps? If your heatmap quota was consumed running reports centered on the wrong location, our support team can review your case. In confirmed instances of this bug, the team has been able to work with affected customers on quota concerns. Providing the details listed above will help the team process your request as efficiently as possible. ✅ How to Confirm the Fix Is Working After any heatmaps are regenerated following the engineering fix, confirm the following: - The pin at the keyword level matches the location you set at the project level. - The heatmap grid is centered on your intended service area, not a distant city or region. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Heatmap Reports: Troubleshooting and Support

📊 What Are Heatmap Reports? Heatmap reports in Search Atlas show how your business ranks across different geographic locations for specific keywords. They help you visualize your local search visibility at a glance, making it easier to identify growth opportunities and track progress over time. 🔍 Accessing Your Heatmap Reports To view your Heatmap reports, follow these steps: 1. Open the left sidebar menu in your Search Atlas dashboard. 2. Click on Local to expand the section. 3. Select Local SEO Heatmaps from the menu options. 4. Choose the heatmap you want to view from your saved reports. From this page, you can Save reports, Import from Google Business Profile, or Import Heatmaps from external sources. 🛠️ Common Technical Issues If you're experiencing problems with your Heatmap reports, here are the most common issues and quick fixes: - Blank or missing data: Ensure your Google Business Profile is properly connected. Go to Local → GBP Projects and verify the connection is active. - Outdated rankings: Click Refresh data from the Home dashboard to pull the latest information. - Import errors: When importing heatmaps, double-check that your file format is supported and all required fields are included. - Slow loading times: Large map areas with many data points may take longer to render. Try narrowing your geographic range for faster results. 📈 Understanding Your Heatmap Data Each colored section of your heatmap represents your ranking position in that specific area. Here's what the colors typically indicate: - Green: You rank in the top 3 positions — great visibility. - Yellow: You rank between positions 4 and 10 — moderate visibility. - Red: You rank below position 10 — needs attention and optimization. Use these insights to target your SEO efforts in areas where your visibility is lowest. 💡 Tips for Better Heatmap Performance To improve your local rankings and see more green on your heatmap: - Keep your Google Business Profile updated with accurate business information. - Post regularly using the Posts feature in your GBP Projects. - Respond promptly to customer reviews to boost engagement signals. - Target keywords strategically based on gaps in your heatmap coverage. 💬 Getting Live Help From Our Team If you've tried the troubleshooting steps above and still need assistance, our support team is ready to help you in real time. We do not offer phone or email support — all live assistance is handled directly within the platform. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team. Our teammates can help you with technical issues, account questions, and strategy guidance for getting the most out of your Heatmap reports.

🗺️ Heatmap Incomplete Grids Bug & Credit Refund

🔍 What Happened A bug affected auto-refresh heatmap scans across affected accounts. Instead of generating full grid maps, the refresh produced incomplete grids showing only a single point rather than the expected coverage area. This caused heatmap scans to consume credits without delivering usable results. The root cause was a backend issue in which heatmap grid coordinates contradicted the stored spacing configuration. As a result, the system scanned the wrong radius, understated or overstated rankings, and in some cases rendered an in-flight refresh as an empty map with an average position of 0 — rather than displaying the last valid completed scan. ⚠️ Which Scans Were Affected - Heatmap scans triggered by auto-refresh during the affected window - Scans that displayed a single pin or showed an average position of 0 - Scans where the grid coverage area appeared smaller or different from your saved settings Manually triggered scans completed outside this window were not affected by this specific incident. 🛠️ What We Fixed Our engineering team has resolved the following issues related to this incident: - Grid coordinate mismatch: The backend now correctly aligns grid coordinates with your stored spacing settings, ensuring the right radius is scanned every time. - In-flight refresh display: Heatmaps no longer show an empty map or an average position of 0 while a refresh is in progress — the last successfully completed scan is displayed instead. Additional investigation is ongoing to fully address this incident. We will update this article as further fixes are released. 💳 Credit Refunds We understand that affected accounts consumed credits on failed or incomplete refreshes during this incident. We are committed to making this right. Here is what you need to know about refunds: 1. Eligibility: Any credits spent on heatmap auto-refresh scans that produced incomplete or single-point grids during the affected window are eligible for a refund. 2. How to check your credit activity: Review your billing or credit usage section within the platform to identify credits consumed on affected scans. 3. Requesting your refund: Contact our support team, share the approximate date range and the number of credits affected, and our team will process your refund promptly. 🔄 How to Re-Run Affected Heatmaps Once the fix has been applied to your account, you can manually trigger a new heatmap scan for any affected location. The new scan should generate a complete grid consistent with your saved settings. If you are unsure whether the fix has been applied to your account, please reach out to our support team. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🗺️ Local Heatmap Grid Radius and Ranking Discrepancies Explained

🔍 Overview The Local SEO Heatmap tool in Search Atlas scans a grid of points around your business location and records how your listing ranks at each point for a given keyword. Two common questions from customers are: why do scores differ between back-to-back runs? and why does capitalisation (e.g. "car repair" vs "Car Repair") produce different results? This article explains what to expect and how to get the most consistent results from your scans. ⚙️ How the Heatmap Grid and Radius Work When you configure a heatmap scan you choose two settings: a radius (how far from your pinned location to scan) and a grid size (how many points to plot across that radius). These two values together determine how the scan area is laid out. - Radius — the distance from your business address to the outer edge of the scan area. - Grid size — the number of grid points plotted across the scan area (for example, a 7 × 7 grid covers 49 points). If you notice that your grid appears to be scanning a wider or different area than you configured, this may be related to how your radius and grid settings are stored. If you suspect a configuration discrepancy, please contact our support team with your project name and scan details so we can investigate. 📊 Why Scores Differ Between Back-to-Back Runs Some variation between runs is normal. Common reasons include: - Live Google data — the heatmap queries Google's local search results in real time. Google continuously updates rankings, so two scans run close together can return slightly different positions. - Keyword capitalisation — search terms such as "car repair" and "Car Repair" may return different results. Always use the same capitalisation convention across all your scans to ensure consistent comparisons. - Pinned location differences — if your scans have used different pin locations over time, scores from those runs are not directly comparable. Verify your pinned base address is consistent before comparing historical results. ✅ Best Practices to Get Consistent Results - Always use the same keyword capitalisation across all scans for a given campaign. - Verify your pinned location has not changed between scans before comparing results. - Use the same radius and grid size settings across scans you intend to compare. - If results look unexpectedly different between runs, note the exact scan settings, timestamps, and keyword used, and reach out to our team for review. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Troubleshooting Dashboard Discrepancies: GBP, Pixels, and Heatmaps

🧭 Overview If your Search Atlas dashboard shows Not Connected for Google Business Profile (GBP), missing heatmap data, or undetected pixels — even after completing setup — this article explains why these discrepancies occur and how to resolve them across single or multiple domains. 🚀 Installing the OTTO Pixel on an Astro + Tailwind CSS Site Astro sites require the OTTO Pixel to be placed in a layout file that wraps all pages. Follow these steps: 1. In Search Atlas, go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) via the left sidebar (/seo-automation-v3). 2. Select your property and copy your unique OTTO Pixel script. 3. In your Astro project, open your base layout file — typically src/layouts/BaseLayout.astro. 4. Paste the pixel script inside the <head> tag, before the closing </head>. 5. Because Tailwind CSS is purely a styling framework, it does not interfere with script execution. No additional changes are needed for Tailwind. 6. Deploy your updated site and allow up to 24 hours for the dashboard to reflect the connection. ⚠️ Why the Dashboard Shows "Not Connected" After Setup A Not Connected status does not always mean setup failed. Common causes include: - Propagation delay: DNS and script detection can take up to 48 hours to register, especially for new domains or recently updated configurations. - Cached page versions: If your site uses SSG (static site generation), as Astro does by default, the pixel may not appear on cached pages until a full rebuild and redeploy is triggered. - Script blocked by browser extensions or CSP headers: Content Security Policy rules on your server may silently block the pixel from firing. - GBP verification lag: Google Business Profile verification status can take 24–72 hours to sync with the Search Atlas dashboard after Google confirms ownership. ✅ How to Verify Your Pixel Is Firing Correctly Before assuming the pixel is missing, confirm it is active using your browser's developer tools: 1. Open your live website in Google Chrome. 2. Press F12 to open DevTools, then click the Network tab. 3. Reload the page and type otto or your pixel ID in the filter bar. 4. If the pixel is firing, you will see a network request with a 200 status code. 5. If no request appears, check the Console tab for script errors or blocked resource warnings. 6. If you see a CSP error, update your server's Content-Security-Policy header to allow the OTTO Pixel domain. 🗺️ Heatmaps Not Displaying After Pixel Installation Heatmap data requires a minimum number of page visits to render. If heatmaps appear blank or unavailable, verify the following: - The pixel has been confirmed as firing (see the verification steps above). - The page has received at least 30–50 unique visits since the pixel was installed. Heatmaps will not populate below this threshold. - The heatmap is being viewed for the correct URL. Query strings and trailing slashes can cause URL mismatches — check that the URL in the dashboard exactly matches the live page URL. - Your site is not blocking the pixel on specific page types, such as password-protected or noindex pages. 🌐 Managing Pixel and GBP Status Across Multiple Domains When managing 10 or more domains, discrepancies are more likely due to inconsistent deployment or domain-level configuration differences. Use this bulk verification approach: 1. Navigate to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar and open each property in sequence. 2. For each domain, run the browser Network tab check described above on the homepage and at least one inner page. 3. Create a simple spreadsheet listing each domain, pixel status (firing / not firing), GBP connection status, and last verified date. 4. For domains showing Not Connected after 48 hours, re-copy the pixel from the dashboard and re-deploy — do not reuse a previously copied script, as tokens can expire. 5. For GBP properties, confirm that the Google account connected to Search Atlas has Owner or Manager access to each GBP listing. Viewer access is not sufficient for verification. 6. Re-initiate GBP verification within Search Atlas for any property that has been connected for more than 72 hours but still shows as unverified. ⏱️ Domain-Specific Propagation Delays Not all domains propagate at the same speed. Factors that extend detection time include: - New domains registered within the past 30 days - Recent nameserver or DNS changes - CDN configurations (Cloudflare, Fastly, etc.) that serve cached HTML without the updated pixel - Astro's static output mode, which requires a full rebuild to update deployed HTML files If a domain has been fully deployed and verified but still shows incorrectly after 72 hours, proceed to the escalation step below. 💳 GBP Charges: When to Dispute vs. Investigate If you notice unexpected GBP-related charges in your account, use the following guidance before disputing: - Investigate first if the charge appeared within 7 days of connecting or verifying a GBP property — this is normal billing tied to new service activation. - Investigate first if the dashboard shows a property as connected but you do not recognise it — it may be a domain added under a team member's session. - Dispute if a property shows Not Connected in the dashboard for more than 72 hours and you have confirmed the pixel is firing and GBP access is correct, yet a charge is still present. - Document your browser Network tab results and screenshots of the dashboard status before contacting support, as this will speed up resolution. 💬 Need Further Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔄 Heatmap Auto-Refresh Failures and Quota Refunds

Overview If your keyword maps did not refresh on their scheduled date, or you noticed more quota credits consumed than expected, this article explains what to do if a heatmap auto-refresh fails or your quota balance appears incorrect after a refresh attempt. Why Scheduled Refreshes Can Fail Heatmap auto-refreshes can sometimes fail or be skipped. If a refresh did not run as expected, or if quota credits were consumed without a successful refresh, this is a known issue that our team can investigate and resolve on your behalf. How Quota Is Counted Per Heatmap Quota credits are consumed based on the number of grid pins in each heatmap. If you believe credits were consumed incorrectly — for example, if a refresh failed but credits were still deducted — our support team can review your account and process a refund where appropriate. Steps to Take If Your Refreshes Failed or Quota Seems Wrong 1. Review your heatmap projects and identify which maps did not refresh as scheduled. 2. Note the names of the affected heatmap projects, the keywords configured on each, and the dates the refreshes were expected to run. 3. Check your quota balance to see whether credits were deducted for maps that did not successfully refresh. 4. Contact our support team with the details you gathered. Include the affected heatmap project names, the keywords configured on each, the expected refresh dates, and whether credits were deducted. Our team will investigate the refresh failure, review your quota consumption logs, and escalate a refund to the appropriate internal team on your behalf. Refunds are applied directly to your quota balance once confirmed. If you need assistance, please reach out to our support team. We're happy to help.

Heatmap Public Share Link Stuck Loading

Overview When you share a Local SEO Heatmap via a public link or embed it as an iframe (for example, inside a GoHighLevel dashboard), the page may display an infinite loading spinner and never show your heatmap data. This article explains why this happens and what steps to take to resolve it. What Causes This Issue This is a known platform bug that has been reported and investigated by our team. The public share page fails to load heatmap data, resulting in an infinite loading spinner. The issue can affect: - Public share links opened directly in a browser - Public share links opened in incognito mode or a different browser - Heatmap iframes embedded in third-party dashboards such as GoHighLevel - Cases where the shared link appears to show stale or outdated heatmap data If you are experiencing this issue, our support team can investigate and escalate it on your behalf. Steps to Try Before Contacting Support In some cases, a cached version of the old link may cause loading problems. Try these steps first: - Hard refresh the page — press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac) to bypass the browser cache. - Clear your browser cache and reload the shared URL. - Test the link in a fresh incognito window to rule out locally cached data. - Re-generate the public share link from the Local SEO Heatmaps section of your Search Atlas account, then test the new link in a browser where you are not logged in to Search Atlas. - Re-embed the iframe — if the iframe URL was set previously, remove the old embed code and replace it with the newly generated share link from your account. - Check that the heatmap has run at least one scan — a heatmap with no completed scan data will not display any results on the public share page. If the Loading Spinner Still Appears If the steps above do not resolve the issue, please reach out to our support team directly so we can investigate and escalate as needed. Gathering the following details before contacting us will help our team investigate faster: - The full public share URL that is not loading - The name of the heatmap and the Search Atlas account email address - Whether the issue occurs in a direct browser link, an incognito window, or an iframe embed - A screenshot or screen recording of the loading spinner - The name of any third-party platform where the iframe is embedded (for example, GoHighLevel) If you need further assistance, please contact our support team via the chat widget in your Search Atlas dashboard and we will be happy to help.

GBP Local Heatmap iFrame Embed Not Loading

What This Article Covers Some customers using iFrame embeds for GBP Local Heatmaps have seen the embed become stuck on the Search Atlas loading screen, display a login prompt, or fail to render at all. The steps below will help you troubleshoot and resolve lingering browser or cache-related problems. Known Issue This is a confirmed platform issue where shared iFrame embeds for Local SEO Heatmaps can load indefinitely or redirect to a login screen instead of displaying the heatmap. If you are experiencing this behaviour, the steps below should help resolve it. Step-by-Step Troubleshooting 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies. Stale cache data is the most common reason an embed continues to misbehave. Clear your cache and cookies in your browser settings, then reload the page containing the iFrame. 2. Test in an incognito or private window. Open a fresh incognito or private browsing session and paste your iFrame embed URL directly into the address bar. This rules out any browser extensions or stored session data interfering with the load. 3. Try a different browser. If the embed still does not load, open it in a different browser entirely (for example, switch from Chrome to Firefox or Edge) to confirm whether the issue is browser-specific. 4. Regenerate the shareable iFrame embed. Log in to Search Atlas, navigate to the Local SEO Heatmaps section, and open the relevant heatmap. Generate a fresh iFrame embed code and replace the old embed code in your custom dashboard with the newly generated one. 5. Check that the heatmap data has loaded inside the platform. Before embedding, confirm that the heatmap renders correctly when you view it directly inside the platform. If it does not load there either, the underlying heatmap data may need to be refreshed first. 6. Test the updated embed. After replacing the embed code, reload your custom dashboard and confirm the heatmap now displays correctly. Still Need Help? If the iFrame embed is still loading indefinitely after completing all steps above, please contact our support team via the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of Search Atlas so we can investigate further for your account.

🛠️ Fix Failing Local SEO Heatmaps and Recover Credits

What Causes This Issue? If your Local SEO heatmaps are repeatedly failing and consuming credits without completing a scan, your keyword input or heatmap configuration may be contributing to the problem. Two commonly reported factors include: - Special characters in keywords — quotation marks (e.g. ") and other special characters in your keyword input may cause scans to fail while still deducting credits. - Stuck or unresponsive heatmap grids — some heatmap grids may become stuck in a broken state and cannot progress to a completed scan. Follow the steps below to attempt to resolve the problem yourself. How to Fix a Failing Heatmap 1. Navigate to the Local SEO Heatmaps section of your account. 2. Locate the heatmap that is failing or stuck. 3. Delete the failing heatmap. 4. Create a new heatmap with the same target location and keyword. 5. Before saving, review your keyword input and remove any quotation marks or special characters (e.g. ", ', &). Use plain text only. 6. Run the scan again. Once the keyword is free of special characters, the scan should complete successfully without consuming additional credits unexpectedly. Tips to Avoid This Problem in the Future - Always use plain-text keywords without quotation marks or symbols when setting up a heatmap. - If a scan appears stuck or shows no progress after a reasonable amount of time, do not re-run it repeatedly — each attempt may deduct credits even if the scan fails. - Check your available credit balance before running large batches of heatmaps. What If You Lost Credits Due to Failing Scans? If your credits were consumed by failed heatmap scans, our team can review your account and issue a refund where applicable. Credits have been successfully refunded for affected customers once the issue was confirmed. To request a credit refund, please contact our support team and describe the heatmaps that failed along with the approximate number of credits lost so the team can verify and restore your quota. Known Ongoing Improvements Our engineering team is actively working on additional improvements related to Local SEO Heatmaps, including better messaging when your quota is exhausted. These updates will make it easier to understand what is happening if a scan cannot proceed, so you can take action sooner and avoid unnecessary credit loss. Still Need Help? If you need further assistance, please use the chat widget on this page to reach our support team and we will be happy to help.

Local SEO Heatmaps Embed Fix for Monday.com

Overview Some customers found that Local SEO Heatmap reports would not render when embedded as an iframe or shared via a public URL inside Monday.com. In some cases the map loaded partially but heatmap data and map pins never appeared. Current Status: Known Issue The Search Atlas team is aware that Local SEO Heatmap iframes and public shared URLs may not render correctly inside Monday.com. If you are experiencing this symptom, please reach out to the Search Atlas support team so we can review your specific case and assist you further. Steps to Try 1. In Search Atlas, navigate to the Local SEO Heatmaps section. 2. Open the heatmap report you were trying to embed. 3. Copy the public share link or iframe embed code from the report. 4. Paste the link or embed code into your Monday.com board and reload the view. 5. Verify whether the map renders fully and that your heatmap data is visible. Tips for a Smooth Embed Experience - Use a freshly copied link. If you saved an older embed code, remove it and generate a new one to ensure you have the latest version. - Clear your browser cache. Cached versions of the embed may still show a broken state. A hard refresh (Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, Cmd + Shift + R on Mac) or clearing your cache can help. - Test the public URL directly first. Before embedding, open the public share link in a new browser tab to confirm the heatmap renders correctly on its own. If it works standalone, any remaining display issue is likely related to how Monday.com is handling the embed rather than Search Atlas itself. When to Contact Support If you are experiencing this issue or have followed the steps above and your heatmap embed is still not rendering correctly, please reach out to the Search Atlas support team via the chat icon in your dashboard so we can investigate further.

📍 Heatmap Pins: Fix Misplaced Pins and Understand 20+ or Sparse Results

If your heatmap pins appear far from your real location, drag each pin to the correct spot, run a new heatmap, and delete the old ones. If a pin instead shows 20+ or a short competitor list, that almost always mirrors exactly what Google Maps returns for that keyword and coordinate. 📍 How to Move a Heatmap Pin That Landed in the Wrong Location Service Area Business profiles sometimes generate heatmap pins hundreds of miles from your actual service area (for example, 250–375 miles from Sterling, Virginia). This happens most often when the target keyword is broad or matches distant markets where Google Maps still surfaces your business. When pins sit in the wrong place, your local rankings on that grid look inaccurate. Reposition the grid to your real service area and regenerate the heatmap so your local rankings reflect where you actually serve. 1. Open the heatmap at the keyword level so you can see the individual pins. 2. Click the pin that is in the wrong location to select it. 3. Drag the pin to the exact location where you want the heatmap created (your real service area). 4. Run a new heatmap for that location. 5. After the new heatmap finishes generating, delete the heatmaps that were previously created in the wrong location. Watch a short walkthrough here: https://jam.dev/c/59baecaf-343f-4331-92ab-26181ff21aa1. Once the new heatmap finishes, your pins sit at the correct coordinates and your local ranking data reflects your true service area. 📌 What the 20+ Ranking on a Heatmap Pin Means When the Local Rank Tracker scans a heatmap grid point, it retrieves the first page of Google Maps results for your target keyword — a maximum of 20 businesses. The number on the pin is your business's rank within those results. - Your business appears in the top 20 results: the pin displays your exact rank (for example, 7 or 14). - Your business is absent from the top 20 results: the pin displays 20+, which means your business ranked beyond position 20 — effectively Not Found for that grid point. The number on the pin is always your ranking position at that location, not a count of how many competitors appear in the popup. Sparse results vs. a 20+ ranking A sparse result means Google itself returned fewer than 20 competitors for that keyword and coordinate, so the popup simply lists however many businesses Google served (for example, 2, 5, or 8). The pin still shows your ranking position — or 20+ if your business is not among those few results — while the shorter competitor list reflects Google's limited coverage at that point. 🔍 Why the Competitor Popup May Show Fewer Than 20 Businesses Each grid point scans Google Maps from a precise latitude/longitude coordinate, and Google does not always return 20 results. If Google's index has limited coverage for your keyword at that coordinate — because local supply is sparse, competition is low, or relevance signals are weak — it may return only 2, 5, or 8 businesses. When your business is not among the results Google returned at that point, the pin shows 20+. Search Atlas treats any business absent from Google's returned set as ranked beyond position 20 for that grid point, and labels the pin 20+ accordingly — whether Google returned 3 results or 20. This is the correct interpretation of Google's data, not a gap in tracking. 🧪 How to Verify Sparse Results Are Google-Side Behavior Confirm that sparse pin data matches real Google Maps output by following these steps: 1. Note the coordinates of a pin that shows a small competitor list or a 20+ ranking. 2. Use a browser location-spoofing extension (such as Location Guard for Chrome) to set your GPS position to those coordinates. 3. Open Google Maps and search for the same target keyword. 4. Compare Google's live results to the businesses shown in the heatmap pin's popup. The results will match. When Google returns only a small number of businesses for a keyword at a given location, the heatmap popup reflects exactly that — because Search Atlas reads the same data Google serves. ⚙️ What Search Atlas Can and Cannot Control Search Atlas accurately mirrors what Google Maps returns for each scanned coordinate. It cannot: - Retrieve businesses Google did not include in its results for that keyword and location. - Expand Google's pagination beyond the 20-result limit per location scan. - Override Google's local ranking order for a coordinate. Because of this, the most reliable fix for unexpected pin data is to confirm the pin is in the correct location first, then rerun the heatmap. ⚠️ Known Limitations - Heatmap sharing via iframe may load indefinitely (status: reported to engineering). - Heatmaps in Report Builder may load slowly for large datasets; if PDF downloads appear incomplete, break the report into smaller date ranges. 🎯 You now know how to drag a misplaced heatmap pin to the right spot, rerun and clean up the old heatmap, and read what a 20+ or sparse pin really means. If pins still appear in the wrong location after rerunning, contact support to confirm you are seeing post-fix data.